DepEd shifts tech-voc curriculum to data-driven, industry-led model

The Department of Education (DepEd) is shifting its Senior High School (SHS) technical-vocational program from a static curriculum to a dynamic, data-driven model aligned with real-time industry needs.

Representing Secretary Sonny Angara at the National Tech-Voc Summit in Quezon City on Wednesday, January 28, Assistant Secretary Janir Datukan described the move as a deliberate shift away from rigid curriculum cycles toward a more responsive system that can keep pace with economic and labor market changes.

The summit brought together education leaders, industry partners, and training institutions to focus on five key areas: scaling workforce development through the Enterprise-Based Education and Training (EBET) Law; aligning education with global labor trends and the future of work; using private sector data to guide curriculum design and career readiness; strengthening Senior High School industry immersion; and benchmarking best practices across public and private technical-vocational institutions.

A highlight of the summit was a plenary session on scaling national workforce development under the EBET Law, which underscored the role of enterprise participation in accelerating curriculum updates, improving training relevance, and expanding quality work immersion opportunities. Speakers emphasized that deeper industry involvement in training design and delivery can position technical-vocational education as a direct pathway to productive employment rather than a fallback option.

This was reinforced during a plenary on data-driven workforce planning, where private sector leaders presented labor market signals that could prompt faster curriculum adjustments, particularly in sectors affected by automation, digitalization, and shifting global demand. The session emphasized how timely labor data can guide not only what skills are taught, but also where training investments should be focused.

DepEd Bureau of Curriculum Development Director Peter Marc Magsalin highlighted the importance of sustained industry engagement in strengthening the school-to-work transition.

“We must recognize that industry participation is the only way to strengthen the pipeline of school-to-work transition,” Magsalin said.

“By aligning our sectoral expertise with global labor trends, we ensure our curriculum remains responsive to the future of work," he added.

Magsalin also urged partners to move beyond formal commitments and openly discuss implementation challenges.

“More importantly, share your challenges,” he said. “It is in being honest about our bottlenecks that we find our most innovative solutions. Beyond the data and policies, it is the camaraderie and collaboration formed in this room that will matter most. We are not just colleagues, we are fellow champions and advocates of TVET.”